


Undo the Hairdo

by etymology_of_etymology



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hair Washing, Hair cut, Haircuts, Hurt/Comfort, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Post-Episode: s05e05 Save the Cat, Pre-Episode: s05e06 Taking Control, Pre-Relationship, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) Season 5, hair cutting, notice how Catra had different haircuts between episode 5 and episode 6?, post rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24254473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etymology_of_etymology/pseuds/etymology_of_etymology
Summary: Sometimes, when your world seems to be shattering around you, it's the things that you never cared about before that matter the most. But maybe this is something she can take control of again.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 124





	Undo the Hairdo

"I hate my hair." She raked a claw through the slicked locks, settling over the back of her neck. Her hand hovered there, afraid to touch, like the skin was tender. She was curled up on the cot they had given her, facing away from where Adora sat on the edge of the mattress.

It was the first time, since her rescue from Horde Prime, that Catra had been both conscience and lucid enough to hold a conversation. Even with She-Ra's healing powers the entire ordeal had rendered her too exhausted and injured to do much on her own. The problem was that when she was awake she tended to freak out if anyone besides Adora came near her.

"It's okay. We ca-"

"No, it's _not_ okay!" Catra's breath hitched in her throat. "They cut my hair, Adora! They cut it and they greased it back and-" Catra's breath hitched again and she let out a sob. Tears trailed down her facial fur and collected in a puddle beneath her head. "-and there was _nothing_ I could do to stop it!" Catra shut her eyes against the tears; willing them to stop if she just squeezed her eyelids hard enough. "Please don't tell me it's stupid," she begged, her soft voice seemed so loud in the dark room. "Because I know! I know! _I know_ it's stupid. It's just hair and I've never cared about it before, but it it..." She wasn't able to say anymore as her body shook with her sobs. Her vision flooded with toxic green and Horde Prime's face mocked her even with her eyes shut tight. The flash left her breathless and panting.

"Hey Catra." Catra opened her eyes to Adora kneeling in front of her. The depths of warmth and sadness in her eyes startled Catra. "You're okay. You're not there anymore. We're going home, just like I promised you. So breathe, in and out, just like how I'm doing it." She took Catra's hand from where it was clenched into a fist against the chip and brought it to herself. Adora gently rubbed the back of Catra's hand, moving her thumb in circles over the soft fur as Catra's breathing slowed back down. "It's not stupid, Catra. It's _your_ hair and they stole it, but I think we can fix it." She slowly reached up, hesitated a moment, and then stroked Catra's head in a way that she couldn't help but lean into. "We can get the grease out and-"

"I'm not taking a bath," Catra interrupted.

"Just a damp towel," Adora reassured her. She looked over to the door as if considering something in the distance. "Then, I know this ship has scissors somewhere. I can-"

"No."

"Huh?" Adora looked back to Catra, the hand in her hair slowing.

"I can- I need-" Catra let her eyes close. "I want to," she corrected. "I want to be the one to cut my hair this time."

"Okay, I'll get some stuff and be right back." There was no reaction from Catra as her breathing evened out and she fell asleep once again. "You're going to be okay, Catra," Adora whispered, before she rose and slipped out the door as quietly as she could manage.

When she returned to the room, arms loaded with supplies, Catra blinked blearily at her from the cot. She managed to prop herself up on her elbow; a few long strands of hair fell into her face at the movement. "Hey Adora."

"Hey," said Adora. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Can't wait to get this gunk out of my hair." She gave a halfhearted smirk, but her small attempt at bravado was offset by her twitching tail and the remaining tear tracks that had carved their way through her facial fur. Adora felt a twinge in her chest, she hadn't seen Catra look so... so.. un-Catra-like, so _vulnerable_ , in such a long time. Exhaustion and fear and hurt were all rising to the surface and breaking her cool facade. She knew that if Catra had the energy she would have already squashed those feeling back down again. She would have buried them in a shallow grave of anger and covered the coffin with jokes and cruel jibes.

"Come on, I'll help you get it out." She moved over to Catra's side. "If you lie down and let your hair hang off the edge, it should make this easier." Catra gave a tired nod and started to scooch her body into position.

"I'm ready."

Adora enveloped her hair in the damp towel and started rubbing. It was warm and Catra felt a purr rumble up her throat as it massaged her scalp.

"You doing okay there?" Catra opened her eyes, she must have been dozing off again. 

"Mmrrm? Yeah, it just...feels nice." She stretched out her arms and wiggled her toes.

"I'm nearly done." The towel felt dry where it brushed against her forehead.

"What? But didn't you just?"

"You've been out for awhile." Adora moved from behind her, taking the towel with her. Catra flicked her ears towards rummaging sounds coming from the floor. "I've got the scissors and like three hand mirrors right here, so yeah. I'm just, ready when you are, I guess."

"Yeah," she said. Catra pulled herself up and crossed her legs under her body. "I think I'm awake enough now. Let's do this." Adora handed her a pair of scissors and one of the hand mirrors before positioning herself behind Catra with the other two mirrors.

She raised her mirror from side to side so she find what angles Adora's mirrors gave her of the back and sides of her head. She raised the scissors and made the first snip. A delicate piece drifted down between her eyes and Catra blew out air to keep it away from her nose. After that the room was filled with the sound of scissors and whispers that were usually along the lines of: " _move the right one up a bit,"_ and _"no the other right one."_

It was going to look choppy, but that was fine. It would be fine as long as it didn't look so _pristine_ , as her looked like herself and not _one of them_.

Catra put down the scissors. "I think I like it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Catra smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Then she opened her mouth wide and let out a yawn.

"Sleepy?"

"Maybe a little bit." She yawned again.

"Let me clean the hair up and then you can sleep. Okay?"

"Mmrm, kay."

As Adora left the room she could have sworn that she heard a whispered, _"thank you,"_ from the direction of Catra's cot.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you guys think!


End file.
